Could Mikal Bridges be a good fit with Memphis Grizzlies?
College basketball is over, and it’s now draft-time for a lot of these prospects. Could Villanova’s Mikal Bridges be a good fit for the Memphis Grizzlies?
Last night, Donte DiVincenzo obviously stole the show, as he absolutely lit Michigan up on both ends of the court. First team All-American senior Jalen Brunson received quite a bit of attention too. However, the intriguing piece of all — and the top prospect on that team — is Mikal Bridges.
Bridges has received quite a bit of attention on the draft boards. His size (6’7″ with a 7’2″ wingspan) makes him an enticing prospect, as he can play and guard multiple positions — a premium in today’s NBA. In addition, over the past season, he’s flashed a nice arsenal scoring the basketball, taking the responsibility of a go-to scorer.
His scoring average jumped from 9.8 to 17.7, and his 3-point percentage went up 39.3 percent on 3.1 attempts per game to a whopping 43.5 percent on six attempts a game. These jumpers weren’t just spot-up, catch-and-shoot attempts; he even Curry’d a few and pulled up in transition.
Given his two-way potential, he’s received Kawhi comparisons. Though they may be lofty, he can still evolve into a dangerous two-way wing similar to guys like Khris Middleton and Otto Porter Jr.
Given this small analysis about Mikal Bridges, would he be a good fit for the Memphis Grizzlies?
Would he fit with the Grizzlies?
If the Grizzlies land in the top-three, Mikal Bridges should not be in consideration. At the third pick, they should pick Doncic or Bagley — whichever is available.
However, if the Grizzlies slide out of the top-five — or even fall to fourth — they should take a hard look at Bridges. Yes, there are guys ahead of him with more upside, but they all come with red flags.
Trae Young was hyped to be the next Steph Curry, but his size may make it hard for him to adjust to the NBA. Michael Porter Jr. was a unanimous top prospect out of high school, but that back injury isn’t one to forget. Jaren Jackson Jr. has crazy two-way potential, but his ceiling is probably Serge Ibaka. Most Grizzlies fans don’t want to draft Mo Bamba, because it’ll bring horrible flashbacks of Thabeet.
More from Grizzlies Draft
- 3 Grizzlies that could surprisingly be available in an expansion draft
- 5 players the Grizzlies never should have signed
- Cavs rookie admits he ‘definitely’ was interested in joining Grizzlies
- 6 Grizzlies that shined during 2023 NBA Summer League
- The Grizzlies’ 2023 Draft: What do they need, and who can fill those roles?
Mikal Bridges is certainly safer than all of them, and his high floor makes him an interesting prospect — even at the fourth pick. He can shoot, defend, play multiple positions and thrive within a system.
Not to mention, the Grizzlies need help on the wings. Picking Bridges would give Memphis a promising young trio (Brooks and Selden) on the wings to move forward with. They could employ a nice small-ball lineup they’ve been looking for since the Warriors exposed the two-big system.
Even next year, Bridges can be the rookie that makes the biggest impact on a playoff team. If the Grizzlies slip in the lottery, and Bagley, Doncic and Ayton are out of reach, Mikal Bridges might be their best bet.
Stats found on sports-reference.com.